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Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at The Wilderness Society

The Wilderness Society believes public lands belong to and should benefit all of us. Our organization and work must embody the cultures and perspectives of people and communities across our nation, and connect and inspire people to care about the outdoors.

Who We Are

To be a relevant and successful organization in the 21st century and consistent with our values, we must continually challenge ourselves to ensure we reflect a rapidly changing nation. We are committed to ensuring that our workforce represents our nation’s broad array of racial, ethnic, socioeconomic and political backgrounds. Our effectiveness as an organization is strengthened by a workforce that embodies diversity in all its forms — a rich mix of talent, work experiences, perspectives, backgrounds, and beliefs that we need to fully achieve our mission.

How We Work

We will be inclusive in the work that we do, and in the kind of organization we are. Internally this means working as a team that listens to different points of view, recognizes the contributions of every employee and empowers each employee to bring their whole selves to work every day. Externally this means ensuring that public lands are inclusive and welcoming, so that our shared wildlands can help people and nature to thrive.

Who We Serve

We are committed to equity throughout our work, which we define as our commitment to realizing the promise of our public lands and ensuring that all can share in their universal benefits. We seek to respectfully and authentically engage and empower communities that have been historically marginalized in the conservation movement or have not equitably benefitted from our public lands. It is by valuing and incorporating diverse perspectives into our work that we will protect our public lands in a way that can truly support the health and well- being of us all, for generations to come.

Land Acknowledgment

The Wilderness Society recognizes Native American and Indigenous peoples as the longest serving stewards of the land.  We respect their inherent sovereignty and self-determination and honor treaty rights, including reserved rights that exist off their reservation.

We acknowledge the historic and ongoing injustices perpetrated against Indigenous peoples and are committed to being more conscientious and inclusive and working with Indigenous peoples to advance the establishment of trust and respect in our relationships. We seek the guidance of Native American and Indigenous peoples to effectively advocate for the protection of culturally significant lands and the preservation of language and culture.   We strive to support actions that respect the priorities, traditional knowledge, interests and concerns of Native American and Indigenous peoples to ensure a more just and equitable future.